2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Saturday, April 30, 2016

The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whale's Reef into turmoil.

Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch's heir to be his grand-nephew David, a local favorite, but when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David's grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance, an estate that controls most of the island's land. And while Hardy doesn't enjoy much popular support, he has the backing of a shadowy group of North Sea oil investors. The courts have frozen the estate's assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island-and its traditional way of life-hangs in the balance.

Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .

Past and present collide in master storyteller Phillips's dramatic new saga of loss and discovery, of grasping and grace, and of the dreams of men and women everywhere.

MY REVIEW-Michael Phillips is an author I have enjoyed. But this book was a little hard for me to get into. For some reason the first half of the book just seemed to drag with a lot of details and such. I know it is the first book in a series and many times the author has to get everyone acquainted, but this one just seemed like too much.

Once you get about halfway in, the story does pick up pace. I found the history to be intriguing and learned a lot about the Shetland Islands. I would probably read the second book so I could find out what happens and just hope that the story starts off a bit more interesting :)

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Will Fleeing the Scottish Highlands Only Leave Her in More Danger?Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she’s never felt good enough–not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping those threatening her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, yet the last thing he needs is the distraction of the newly introduced Lady Rowena. He has enough on his plate having recently come into possession of a rare treasure for which many would kill, yet those around him seem intent on pairing him with this desperate but beguiling girl.

Rowena is reluctant to marry this notorious flirt. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she’ll end up in more danger than she fled.

Guest Post from Roseanna White

Though I’ve written nearly thirty books, thirteen of which will be out by the end of 2016, there’s something very special about the Ladies of the Manor Series. The first book, The Lost Heiress, is a rewrite of the first novel I ever wrote—at the age of 12-13. Once I finished that first novel, I made it my goal to keep adding more manuscripts to my “finished” file. I started in immediately on the sequel . . . and soon ran into a problem. You see, I knew who I wanted these characters to be. Brice Myerston, a duke, whom readers would have met in the first book. And a young lady from Scotland who had suffered abuse.

That’s it. That’s all I knew. And it stymied 13-year-old me, who hadn’t a clue what it felt like to suffer such things, and whose imagination, while rich, just lacked a certain basis in the realities of human nature. Probably a good thing that I gave up on the story back then, and didn’t dust it off again until my mid-20s, when I was reworking the series. And better still that Rowena had many more drafts to go through before she finally took to the printed page in The Reluctant Duchess.

I narrowed my setting down, during those years, to the Highlands, and I chose Loch Morar because of how perfectly the region of Lochaber suited the story I wanted to tell. Isolated. Stark. Rugged. Beautiful. Sometimes cruel. This was a land utterly perfect for my heroine’s family, for her back story. Then came the challenge of picking a clan for her to belong to—because lemme just tell you, one could quite easily offend with such choices, if not portrayed properly, LOL. And because I wanted her father to be chief of her clan, I ran the risk of people mistaking him for the actual chief, if I chose an actual clan.

A writing friend came to rescue and offered her last name for my heroine: Kinnaird (pronounced “kin-AIRD”), which is a sept (branch) of another clan in reality, so had no chief of its own, but was still a well-established Scottish name. Perfect!

So Rowena Kinnaird was born after many years of her character floating in and around my head and computer screen. And I got to pair this backward, sometimes shy, sometimes stubborn Scottish lass with the charming, suave, polished English duke I’d had planned out since I was 13.

I went to great pains in The Lost Heiress to make Brice Myerston a favorite character, so that readers HAD to read his story. Mwa ha ha ha. So far, so good on that score! Brice is a hero who has his faults, but he also has character. He has faith. He has a good heart, he’s considerate, he’s understanding. And he’s also so accustomed to charming everything female that he doesn’t quite know what to do when Rowena doesn’t seem inclined to be charmed.

There are clashes. There is tension. There’s much healing on Rowena’s part. Many trials for them both. But I hope that through this story of The Reluctant Duchess readers see what it means to triumph over past hurts. And how brightly God shines against the darkness.

MY THOUGHTS-Roseanna White is an author I have really enjoyed reading. Her first series is on my keeper shelf and it ain't going nowhere :) This series, Ladies of the Manor, I have had mixed feelings on. The ones where I go, "hurry up and get the story told," and "Oh no, it is done already!!!" The books are long and it makes for a delicious time of savoring the story, but once it is finished? Oh my word, then we have to wait and wait for the next one!

The plots are amazing, the characters are super realistic and the details are grandiose! I have read the first book, reviewed it here on my blog, and I would urge you to read through it before starting The Reluctant Duchess. There are soo many characters to keep track of and some of the ones we met in the first story make an appearance in this one. My mother read this one but not the first one and she was a bit confused when she started. So, definitely read them in order.

Again, I can't say enough about how much I enjoy Roseanna's books. They are a mix of mystery, romance and history while all the while drawing the reader further into the web. Believe me, you will need several uninterrupted hours, because once you start you won't want to put it down!

Saturday, April 23, 2016

16GB Dog Tag USB Drive Giveaway

Hosted and Sponsored by Tom's Take On Things

Thanks so much for being part of this giveaway. Tom over at Tom's Take On Things wanted to offer this prize and allow me and a few other bloggers the opportunity to give you a chance to win this.
Tom is a veteran of the U.S. Army, and a retired Paramedic of 23 years. He wanted to offer this unique novelty flash drive, and to have you share your thoughts if you have a family member that might be in the military, or who has already served. If not, that is okay, you can still enter to win it!
So how can you win it? Just be 18 years of age or older, a resident of the U.S. or Canada (void in Quebec), one entry per household (except for daily twitter options). Winner will be selected and have 24 hours to respond to winning email, or another winner will be selected. Tom's Take On Things is responsible for prize delivery. Participating Blogs were not compensated for this post.

Campers having a BLAST, while learning and playing in a dynamic environment. Learning about Robotics and Science, in an independent and exciting way!Visit www.ROBOTS-4-U.com to see dates and locations for these day camps.

- Robot / Science / Engineering / Day Camp / Challenges

- Camps Girls and Boys - Aged 7 to 14

- Robot Camps and Dynamic Art Camps offered during June, July and August

- Hands on Learning, Self-Paced. Beginners to Expert!

KEY INFORMATION

- 1 week (5 days) long

- Days: Monday to Friday Times: 9:00-11:30a.m. and 12:30-3:00 p.m.

- CAMPERS RATIO: 1 Instructor to 16 participants-Register early as camps do fill up quickly!

- Each Camper Individually uses a ROBOTICS or DYNAMIC ART Kit. Robot kits do not go home with campers but are available for purchase!

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you're ready for a lesson in love . . . Tippy style.

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother's elderly dog, Tippy, he's quick to call on a pet-sitting service.

Gina isn't thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can't abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.

As Gina travels through Cal's world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too . . .

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

MY REVIEW-If you are looking for a delightful entertaining story, this is definitely one to pick up! It is small but filled with funny quips, a goofy little dog and two totally quirky but irresistible characters. It is short and sweet but I found tears in my eyes more than once, as well as learning some lessons. I really liked Tippy, the overweight picky eater of a dog, being a big feature of the story. An enjoyable read that you can finish in an hour!

What do you get when you add one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog? A lesson in love—Tippy style—in Dana Mentink's new book, Sit, Stay, Love. As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too. . . .Join Dana in celebrating the release of Sit, Stay, Love with a blog tour and a Travels with Tippy prize pack giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A copy of Sit, Stay, Love

A $75 Visa cash card

A basket filled with Tippy-themed goodies

Travel-themed decorator box

Reading dog statue

Dog journal

Poems for Dog Lovers

Snuggle Paws fleece blanket from Animal Rescue Site

Pawprint scarf

Doxie desk pen

Pupmobile auto magnet

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 25th. The winner will be announced April 26th on Dana's blog.

**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Monday, April 18, 2016

No formulas, no pat answers. Just real life. Real questions. Real transformation.

Approach many women in the church and if they’re being honest, they’ll tell you they• try hard to keep it all together;• are frustrated that being good doesn't deliver the perfect life;• feel trapped in expectations;

• make decisions based on "shoulds";

• feel selfish when they say no; and

• are uncertain of their place in God's kingdom.

Between the desire to please God, the need to feel valued, and the compulsion to make everyone around them happy, women often find themselves denying their desires. It's safer to stay in the life of "shoulds"—even if it means being spiritually and emotionally disconnected.

Kelli Gotthardt knows their pain. Always considered a "good girl," she threw herself into every ministry, saying yes to every request her church family made. On the outside, her life looked completely together—but she was drowning in self-doubt and shame. Unlikely Rebel is the story of how Kelly slowly shed shoulds and shame, learning to love God and love who He created her to be.

The journey from the comfort of doing everything expected of a perfect pastor's wife to the uncertainty of living authentically and true to her unique calling is equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. Many Christians condemned her, responding with fear or anger to her greater intimacy with God's calling when it didn’t match their own vision. For others, though, her journey inspired courage to embrace God's path for their own lives.

Now Kelli invites other women to discover God's leading in their lives, learning that if they throw off the despondency of undeserved shame, abundant life awaits.

MY THOUGHTS-I was somewhat unsure about this book. The title kind of threw me off a bit and I was also hesitant because of what I would find inside. Would it convict me? Or would it be just another fluff story that you read, smile and say, that was okay but I didn't really get anything out of it. Well, it definitely gave me some things to think about and I was so moved by it, I am going to give my copy away to one of my readers.

This book is meant to be taken slowly. I felt like I could only read a few pages a day so I nibbled on it and meditated on what I was reading. The author talks about how she took on so many requests, obligations, speaking events, etc and how all the while she thought she was being the "good girl" but in reality she had to take a step back and refocus on who she was serving and what it all meant. She is very open and forthcoming about why she felt the way she did and how it made her feel when she spent hours alone with God and just listened for His voice. Now, I do want to say, some of the authors she spoke highly of and quoted, I don't personally agree with. There are some issues I had with this, but overall I understood where the author was coming from and I loved her openness. It made me look at my life and see if there are areas I need to step back from. Below is one of my favorite quotes from the book and I found it so thought provoking!

"An efficiently busy life that keeps us occupied without being harried and keeps our attention entirely on interesting outer things is probably more potentially destructive of spiritual growth than debauchery or alcohol or hard drugs."

THE GIVEAWAY!

Anyone interested in winning your own copy of Unlikely Rebel? It really is an amazing book that will have you evaluating your own life.

Giveaway will end 5/3. Winner will be chosen through Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. USA ONLY!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

One case from her past defines homicide detective Abby Hart. With a possible serial killer stalking elderly women in Long Beach, California, Abby’s best lead is Luke Murphy, an irritating private investigator who saw a suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide. When Abby discovers that the most recent victim is related to the governor, she’s anxious to talk to him about a cold case that’s personal to her―one Luke is interested in as well. As she learns more about the restaurant fire that took her parents’ lives years ago, Abby discovers why Luke is so invested in finding the ones responsible. The more they uncover, though, the more questions they have. Can Abby find peace without having all the answers?

MY REVIEW-First off, this is not my first read from Janice Cantore. I have really liked her previous series, read them all. But this has been the first time that I seriously yelled, "NO!!!" at the end of it. Oh my word! How can you do that to your readers?? She has us all hyped, wondering how it will end, and then, cliffhanger! It isn't an obvious one, but I could not believe when I finished it.

The plot is very intriguing and Janice draws the reader into the story pretty fast. I finished the book in one day and my sister finished it in about two hours. Yes, she is a super fast reader :) The book is clean and full of suspense and mystery. The author leaves little clues around to follow but then you find out it might not be what you think. And while the story is somewhat dealing with a cold case, there are some very new and recent cases that make the cold case hot. Totally loved the main characters! Abby is resilient but not hard and Luke is such a sweet guy who has turned his life around. If you enjoy mystery, suspense, police stories, and so on, you will thoroughly enjoy this one!

**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Monday, April 11, 2016

About the Book

They’ve helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples. Now twelve new couples will find themselves in the wedding spotlight in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.

Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk

Sometimes the road to happiness is paved with youthful mistakes.

Ten years after what she thought was her almost-wedding, Hope Prentiss discovers that the ceremony counted—and, as fate would have it, the jilted John Burke has just ridden back into town. After spending some time with John and helping plan a Christmas wedding for a mystery couple, Hope begins to wonder if she really wants a divorce . . . or a real wedding of her own.

A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck

Revealing the beauty in other women might be Ginger Winters’s specialty—but it will take an unexpected kind of love to help Ginger see the beauty in herself.

Ginger Winters will be the “beauty-maker” for the Alabama society wedding of the decade. But when high-school crush Tom Wells shows up looking for a haircut, Ginger’s thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her from love once again . . . despite Tom’s best efforts.

Serving Up a Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt

Meadow knows how to serve delicious food to match any wedding theme. But can she accept love when it’s served up on a silver platter?

Meadow Larson is having the mother of all Mondays when her roof caves in during a blizzard, right before the most important wedding contract of her career. Renovation contractor Colin McGrath offers to fix Meadow’s roof, even though he knows he is the last person she would accept help from.

But the more Meadow gets to know the new Colin, the more she realizes God may have something more permanent in store than a new catering kitchen.

About the Authors

Rachel Hauck Bio:

Rachel Hauck is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Her book Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist.

Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at rachelhauck.com, Facebook: rachelhauck, and Twitter: @RachelHauck.

Cindy Kirk Bio:

Cindy Kirk sold her first book in 1999 as a result of a contest win which garnered a critique of the entire manuscript. She’s been writing—and selling—ever since. Cindy has been a Booksellers’ Best Award Winner, a finalist for the National Readers’ Choice Awards and a Publishers Weekly best seller. Cindy has served on the Board of Directors of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) since 2007. In November 2014, she began serving as President of the 10,000+ member organization. She’s a frequent speaker at not only the national RWA conferences, but large regional writing conferences. She has also presented at smaller retreats and conferences across the country. She lives on an acreage in Nebraska with her high school sweetheart husband of too-many-years-to-count and their three “boys” (a shih tzu, a blue heeler and a dorkie). Their daughter lives close by with her wonderful husband and their two little girls. Cindy invites you to check out her websitewww.cindykirk.com. Twitter: @CindyKirkAuthor

MY REVIEW- I had a difficult time getting into this book. Not to fault any of the authors, I have read other stories by all of them and enjoyed them. But for some reason this novella was hard to finish.

My favorite author out of them all would be Rachel Hauck. She pens lovely romantic stories that will have you going, "ahhh"! Very sweet characters but definitely not without their troubles. A Brush of Love is nice, and probably my favorite out of them.

My next would have to be Love at Mistletoe Inn. This one I actually laughed out loud several times. The best friend in it is hysterical!

And last but not least is Serving up a Sweetheart. This author is normally known for her Love Inspired novels and I think it served her well for this story. It was good, just not a favorite.

Monday, April 4, 2016

Businesses that use promotional gifts are usually at the head of the line when it comes to successfully promoting their services or products. Their appreciative clientele recognizes that extra measure of effort put out to engage prospective clients. Promotional items also help seal the bond with their current customers as a gesture of gratitude for their patronage.

Businesses that sell promotional items do so because they recognize the value of said items. They make it easy for national, regional and even local businesses and enterprises to spread the word. Items that are proven effective often include corporate logos, sports teams logos, or a logo plus an encouraging phrase of positivism.

One can easily find a sizable number of websites online that sell promotional items, items like:

KeyringsTotesCoffee MugsUmbrellasPen and Pencil SetsMany More

The goal is to offer promotional items that are very useful and likely to be used everyday, hopefully throughout the entire day. Items like promotional totes are exceptional for that reason. While they may be used daily, like a coffee mug or pen and pencil set, they are also taken from work to home to shopping and more. They offer a myriad of opportunities to be utilized, all the time displaying the imprinted logo. The logo is essentially being willingly displayed as an advertisement by the individual carrying it.

Totes are Ideal Promotional Gifts

The individual is clearly illustrating that they enjoy using the tote and appreciate its versatility. The average tote is ideal for carrying all an individual's needs for a full day's activities. That could be going to the beach, shopping, visiting, sightseeing, or even a quick trip to the laundromat. Totes make excellent promotional items. They are always useful, and occasionally even utilized as a chic fashion accent.

Sites like totebags4you.com, for example, feature an exciting array of colorful totes available for corporate promotion, or even to honor an event like a music festival. Some amusement parks and camping areas, for example, also use totes to promote themselves. In fact, totes are perfect for those types of entertainment venues.

The goal is get a business' name out there with the help of enthusiastic, appreciative individuals. Totes do that on a grand scale.